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Types of Skiing Explained: Alpine, Nordic, Touring & SkateNorway
Dec - Apr
Learn to cross-country ski in the Norwegian mountains. Snowy tracks, expert coaching and yoga for tired legs.
Beginner
Moderate
Home Comforts
From
£1,400
(USD $2,198.00)
Ski, Stretch, Sauna, Sleigh
If you’ve never experienced a snow-covered mountain landscape, then it’s time to change that.
This four-night active adventure will take you to some of Norway’s most incredible and remote locations. Learn to cross-country ski, huddle around cosy fires, and dare yourself to take an ice dip at our mountain hotel.
Our expert instructors will teach you everything you need to know, then you’ll practise your new skills during all-day ski tours.
In the evening, we’ll unwind with yoga, saunas and even a horse-drawn sleigh ride. This is followed by a three-course dinner at the hotel restaurant that hits the spot every time.
An Active Agenda
No Hidden Costs
Daily lessons, guiding and equipment hire included
Stretch and strengthen after active days on the mountains
A polar plunge and sauna with mountain views
A horse-drawn sleigh ride through snowy forests
Warm up the traditional Norwegian way
Family-run mountain hotel with panoramic views
Breakfasts, packed lunches and three-course Norwegian dinners
Qualified ski instructors and your Gutsy Girls host
Pick-up and drop-off at Ringebu train station, with direct trains from Oslo Airport
Activity Overview
Cross-country skiing is our winter sport of choice, and we’re getting more women into it.
Unlike downhill skiing, cross-country takes you across rolling terrain into remote locations miles from crowded resorts. There are still hills, but you learn how to power yourself up them and control the speed coming back down. The learning curve is faster than downhill skiing too, so you’ll progress quickly and access beautiful, wild winter landscapes most people never see.
All trips include ski and boot hire, expert tuition, and experienced guides. It’s a serious full-body workout with long, active days exploring wilderness away from other tourists. Our itineraries build your skills while making the most of your time with us.
Activity Overview
Stretch out any aches with three yoga classes designed for post-skiing recovery.
If you’ve never stepped on a yoga mat before, don’t worry. The sessions cater to all levels with an expert teacher who will adapt poses to suit the group.
Activity Overview
Wrap up warm under blankets and see the forest from a different angle with a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow.
Afterwards, warm up again with a glass of glögg and some traditional Norwegian biscuits in the lounge while sitting around the open fire.
Activity Overview
Lower yourself into the lake through a hole cut in the ice, then get straight into the outdoor sauna to warm up again. It knocks the breath out of you for about ten seconds, then you feel brilliant. It’s optional, but worth doing at least once. The indoor sauna is yours to use as often as you like for the rest of the trip.
The Destination
Your Adventure Starts Here
Fly into Oslo on a morning flight and hop on the train to Ringebu, a scenic route through snow-covered landscapes.
Dinner at the hotel, followed by a holiday briefing and ski boot fitting.
Introduction in the ski room, followed by a beginners' lesson and short morning ski tour.
Lunch, then back out for more skiing.
Stretch in a yoga session, then dinner.
Early yoga session before breakfast to set you up for the day. After breakfast, we'll teach you uphill and downhill techniques to add to your cross-country ski repertoire.
Lunch, then head out for a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the frozen forest. Afterwards, cosy up around the fire for a traditional Norwegian drink.
Time for a sauna, gym session or to simply chill in the lounge, followed by dinner.
Full-day ski tour begins (make sure to take your packed lunch).
Eat on the trails, then continue skiing. Return to the hotel for an ice dip and use of the outdoor sauna, followed by a yoga session.
Farewell aperitif, then our final dinner.
Free time to ski and explore the trails independently, or relax at the hotel until your transfer to Ringebu train station. Make up your packed lunch before you go, for the journey home.
Say goodbye to Ringebu as you jump on the train and head back to Oslo.
Rest & Refuel
We're based in a family-run traditional mountain hotel with spacious rooms and big views across snow-covered landscape. You can also ski right from the front door into the National Park, so there’s no driving to any start points.
As well as private and twin ensuite rooms, there's a yoga studio for post-ski stretches, a games room for downtime, a bar, and a cosy lounge with a crackling fire - everything you need after big days in the mountains.
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Fuel up with hearty breakfasts, packed lunches on the trails, and three-course dinners showcasing proper Norwegian cuisine.
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Book now
The Essentials
| Accommodation |
Home Comforts A traditional mountain hotel with private and shared bedrooms, hotel restaurant and cosy family-run charm.
|
|---|---|
| Food |
All meals included. If you have a severe allergy, please contact us before booking.
|
| Fitness Level |
2
Moderate Cross-country skiing works like running with skis on. The long flat sections and uphill climbs demand real cardiovascular effort, and you’ll be doing six to seven hours of it daily across 8-25km of terrain. Sessions are split into morning and afternoon most days, but the distances stack up, so a solid fitness base matters. If you’re doing medium to high-intensity cardio three or more times a week, such as running, cycling, HIIT or spin, you’ll handle this well. You'll Need to Be
|
| Skill Level |
1
Beginner No cross-country skiing experience is needed, this trip is designed for beginners. Some downhill skiing experience can help, but skinny skis with a loose heel are a different beast entirely, so you’ll still be learning from scratch. Beginner is the skill level. It’s not an easy trip. Check the Fitness Level above. Not sure what level you are? Our Trip Rating Guide explains how we score fitness and skill. |
| Packing List |
Below are a few specialist items you will need or might have to invest in before your adventure. For a full list of what you’ll need to bring, check out the trip guide. We Provide
You'll Need
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| Travel |
The meeting point for this trip is Ringebu train station. For alternative routes and travel information, please see the trip guide. |
| Not Included |
|
| Trip Code |
NORVENXCB4 Include this code in any message and we’ll know exactly which trip you mean. |
The Answers
No experience is needed – this trip is designed for complete beginners. Working with fantastic ski instructors and guides, you’ll receive excellent tuition progressing your skills throughout the weekend and building your mileage to explore incredible remote snowy landscapes.
This trip is rated moderate. You need medium to high-intensity cardio exercise at least three times a week for around 45 minutes. Think running, HIIT sessions, cycling, or spin classes – activities that get your heart pumping. Cross-country skiing feels like “running with skis on” during flat sections and uphill climbs.
Cross-country skiing is much easier to learn than alpine skiing. You will fall over though whilst learning, but the soft snow makes these falls fairly painless. You do need to be comfortable with the gliding motion and picking up speed on gentle slopes.
Layer smart – merino or synthetic base layers (never cotton), thin warm mid-layers, a breathable waterproof shell jacket, and windproof soft shell trousers. Bring a warm insulated jacket for breaks too. We provide skis, boots, and poles. A full packing list is available in our trip guide.
Come with the cardio base we recommend and you will keep up fine. Where people struggle is not technique, it is endurance: not having enough in the tank to stay out for a full day. Everyone moves at their own pace and the prepared tracks let skiers of different speeds share the same trail, so nobody is stuck at someone else’s rhythm. What we do ask is that you arrive fit and ready for the trip rather than planning to build into it once you are here.
There are also evening yoga sessions led by our in-house instructor to stretch tired muscles, plus a horse sleigh ride through snowy landscapes with biscuits and glögg around an open fire. You’ll also have plenty of opportunities to try the sauna, and one chance for an ice dip too.
Book a morning flight into Oslo Gardermoen. From there you need to be on one of these trains to Ringebu, because these are the arrivals our transfer meets:
Leave at least an hour between landing and your train leaving. The station is downstairs in the same building as arrivals, so an hour is plenty unless you want to stop for a coffee.
Book directly through vy.no/en, the Norwegian national rail operator. Tickets cost around £30 each way and are not included in your trip price.
Tickets are released roughly 90 to 60 days before travel. Until then the site will usually tell you the train is unavailable or sold out, which looks alarming and means nothing. It simply is not on sale yet. Search again as your dates come into that window and the trains will appear.
If you are still seeing that message around 30 days out, drop us a message. That is late enough to be worth looking at, and we can help you work out an alternative route.
Book as soon as your date opens up, because the earlier trains fill first and they are the ones our transfer meets.
Our transfer runs from Ringebu train station to your hotel on arrival and departure day. You are responsible for getting to Ringebu station – train tickets can be purchased 60-90 days in advance from vy.no/en.
Transfer timings:
If you catch a later train, we can arrange a taxi between Ringebu station and the hotel:
Email us to book the taxi. Bear in mind that a later train on arrival day means you will miss dinner, and we cannot refund it. Travel insurance covering delays is strongly recommended.
Temperatures usually sit around -10°C in January, sometimes reaching -20°C. By March though things have warmed up, with temperatures of between -5°C and 5°C. Don’t worry though, the snow will stick around.
Absolutely. Mountain weather can be unpredictable, so our guides adjust daily plans to ensure the best and safest experience.
Everywhere you’ll visit accepts cards, so you don’t need Norwegian Krone cash at all. Budget for drinks and any personal extras – Norway can be expensive for alcohol and snacks. All meals, activities and equipment are included in your trip price.
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